The present invention pertains to the telephone equipment art and, more particularly, to a Intelligent Telephone Control System which allows subscribers to remotely control a plurality of call handling utilities to predeterminedly direct incoming calls.
Despite the availability of numerous telephone central exchange provided functions, such as xe2x80x9ccall-forwardingxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cthree-way callingxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9ccall-waitingxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cspeed-dialingxe2x80x9d,as well as the advent and availability of paging and mobile telephone systems, the completion of a call to a system subscriber can often be a complicated, time consuming and tedious task. Unless the telephone subscriber is located at the telephone which receives calls to his assigned phone number, completion of a call from a calling party, despite the aforementioned services, generally involves the calling party leaving a message and awaiting a call back by the subscriber. Even if the subscriber is accessible via mobile telephone or a paging system, human intervention is commonly required to look up and dial specific mobile telephone or paging numbers to attempt to contact the subscriber. Thus, additional delays and costs are incurred.
In addition, even if the subscriber is on a paging system, the successful direction of a message to the subscriber requires that the subscriber manually inform the system of his whereabouts.
Finally, existing telephone control systems offer very limited control to either the subscriber or the calling party with respect to the processing of calls.
In summary, the present invention is directed to an intelligent telephone control system which is connected to a telephone exchange and wherein each user of the system is assigned a unique telephone number with the control system routing calls to the user where ever they may be located. The control system comprises an input/output device which is adapted for connection to the telephone exchange trunks or lines to input and output telephone calls. A switching control means controllably connects a call on one line to a different line. Provided memory controllably stores and recalls electronic signals. An electronic processing means is provided for accessing the memory, switching control means and input/output device to direct the flow of input and output calls. The electronic processing means includes means for: a) identifying a call to the system from a caller directed to a specific user, b) testing to determine whether or not the subscriber""s cellular telephone is available to receive calls, c) recalling a forwarding number from memory as a function of the result of the aforementioned test, d) implementing a call to the forwarding number, and e) switching the caller""s call to the forwarding number. The system also preferably includes means for f) identifying a call to the system from a specific user, g) changing the specific user""s memory stored forwarding number(s) responsive to a command from the specific user, h) processing calls to the system directed to a specific user in a selected one of a plurality of modes and, i) changing a users call processing mode responsive to a command from the user.
In accordance with one feature of the invention, the control system may forward incoming calls for a subscriber to a telephone number that has been preselected by the subscriber. How the call is forwarded may be a function of whether or not the subscriber""s cellular telephone is turned on and may be a further function of a preprogrammed schedule and of other factors . The call may be directly forwarded, or may be preceded by a brief announcement informing the caller that the call is being forwarded. The call may be forwarded to a telephone apparatus or may be otherwise handled, such as forwarding it to a voice mail message center. This feature of the invention may be advantageously used as follows: A subscriber""s call processing may be programmed to forward calls received prior to 7 AM to voice mail, unless the caller knows a VIP screening code, for example. After 7 AM and until 8:30 AM calls are automatically forwarded to the subscriber""s home, unless the subscriber""s cellular telephone has been turned on, indicating that the subscriber is in their automobile (assuming for the moment that the subscriber has an automotive cellular phone). From 8:30 AM until 5:00 PM calls are automatically sent to their office, again unless the cellular telephone is turned on. When the cellular telephone is energized, the telephone calls can be programmed to be sent to the cellular telephone instead, or can be sent elsewhere, such as to voice mail (perhaps the subscriber does not wish to receive telephone calls in their automobile). In any case, the system automatically changes how a call is handled depending on whether or not the subscriber""s cellular telephone is available (i.e energized and within range of a cellular system). The subscriber""s telephone number can follow them automatically from home to their automobile and then onto work without the necessity for the subscriber to telephone the system to inform the system how to forward calls each time they change their locale and without having to follow a rigorous schedule.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the intelligent telephone control system may first screen incoming calls before causing them to be forwarded. The call may be screened by any of several methods, including a xe2x80x98priority-screenxe2x80x99 which allows the caller to determine whether or not the call should be forwarded to the subscriber, a xe2x80x98VIP code-screenxe2x80x99 which will only forward calls if the caller enters a preselected code, a xe2x80x98voice-screenxe2x80x99 which records the caller""s name and business, places the caller on hold while contacting the subscriber, plays the recorded message, and allows the subscriber to determine if he wishes to be connected to the caller, and screening based on the telephone number of the calling party. With any of these screening methods, should the call not ultimately be forwarded to the subscriber, then the call may be delivered to a xe2x80x98message centerxe2x80x99, where a message may be left for later pickup by the subscriber.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the intelligent telephone control system may cause the subscriber""s pager to be activated in conjunction with forwarding of a call. In this way, the subscriber is given notice that the call is being forwarded to the pre-selected telephone number.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the control system may, prior to forwarding a call, provide a courtesy message to the caller such as xe2x80x9c. . . when the call is answered, please ask for your party by name.xe2x80x9d, or alternately inform the caller xe2x80x9c. . . when the call is answered, please ask for extension number 1234.xe2x80x9d
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the control system may send all calls to a xe2x80x98message centerxe2x80x99 where all messages may be left for later pickup by the subscriber. In this way the call is handled without disturbing the subscriber.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the intelligent telephone control system may handle calls via a xe2x80x98branch-routingxe2x80x99 mode. In this mode, callers may choose from a directory of options. As an example, the caller may be told: xe2x80x9cYou have reached ABC Real Estate. Please touch 1 to speak to Mr. Smith, 2 to speak to Mr. Jones, or hold the line to speak to the receptionist.xe2x80x9d Depending on the programming of the system, each of these selections may cause the call to be forwarded to a specific telephone number, or to another access number. No command may cause the system to follow a predetermined default method for disposing of the call.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the control system may handle calls via a xe2x80x98meet-mexe2x80x99 mode. In this mode, the caller is placed on hold after being told that the user is being paged to a phone. The control system then pages the user. The user then may call the access system, and enter a code to be connected to the caller. In addition, the caller may be given the opportunity to touch 9 to leave a message if he does not wish to wait. If the caller chooses to leave a message, then when the subscriber calls in, he will be informed that the caller did not wait and instead left a message. If the caller hangs up without leaving a message, then the subscriber will be so informed. As is described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/310,908 filed Sep. 22, 1994, the control system can be adapted to call a preprogrammed telephone number when in the xe2x80x98meet-mexe2x80x99 mode.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the call-handling modes and other features of the control system may be programmed by the subscriber by accessing a command mode by dialing the access number from a touch-tone phone, entering a Personal Identification Number (PIN) code, and then following a series of menu items to select the desired feature, call-handling mode, or forwarding number. This process is further simplified by providing the subscriber with xe2x80x98mode memoriesxe2x80x99 which contain the most often used call handling modes, and xe2x80x98number memoriesxe2x80x99 which contain often used telephone numbers such as home phone, office phone, cellular phone, and so on.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the subscriber may invoke a xe2x80x98feature timerxe2x80x99 which will cause a new call handling mode to take effect at the expiration of a selected time interval.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the subscriber may invoke a xe2x80x98weekly schedulexe2x80x99 which will cause the current call-handling mode to be automatically selected from a pre-programmed list of call-handling modes, based upon the time-of-day and day-of-week.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the subscriber may cause his calls to be forwarded to him at his current location, without the subscriber needing to enter the telephone number of the current location. Instead, the telephone number of the location is automatically received by the control system as an Automatic Number Identification (ANI) via ANI-capable facilities from the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The subscriber need only call the control system, enter his PIN code, and select a forwarding mode.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the subscriber may program the operation of the control system by picking up a preregistered phone such as his office or home telephone and touching a 2 or 3 digit speed-dial code. In combination with the ANI capability described above this makes programming very simple. By way of example, if a subscriber is at home, he may pick up the phone and dial 10#. This causes the telephone company central office to memory dial an 800 number with an NNX that points to ANI-capable trunks connected to the control system. The control system recognizes the ANI as belonging to the home phone of one of it""s subscribers. The control system then causes all calls to that subscriber to be priority-screen forwarded to the home. If the subscriber had dialed 11#, an 800 number with the same NNX but different last four digits would be dialed, which would cause the control system to select voice-screened forwarding to the home, and so forth.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the subscriber may elect to make an xe2x80x98outside callxe2x80x99 while in the control system command mode, by touching 9 and dialing the desired telephone number.
The control system is further enhanced by the addition of a communicator feature. This feature allows a subscriber to move from place to place and have his calls follow him without the need for him to call into the control system. The communicator is a portable device carried on the subscriber""s person. The device contains an RF transmitter, an RF receiver, an ultrasonic receiver, a keypad, a xe2x80x98beeperxe2x80x99, and control circuitry. The communicator receives ultrasonic messages from small wall mounted ultrasonic transmitters. These transmitters contain the phone number, and optionally the extension number, of the nearest telephone or a mode appropriate for the location such as do not disturb in a hospital operating room. The communicator also receives radio frequency messages from the control system indicating, or paging, an incoming call for the user. The communicator device can send various radio frequency messages back to the control system, including a message containing the phone number received from the ultrasonic transmitter, a message acknowledging receipt of the page, and messages in response to keypad selections by the subscriber indicating a desire to select a new mode of call handling.
A feature of the present invention provides a telephone control system which allows subscribers to access the system, even remotely, and implement any of a number of utilities for the handling of subscriber directed calls.
Another feature of the invention provides a telephone control system wherein each subscriber is assigned one telephone number and calls to the system on that number are automatically directed to the subscriber regardless of his location.
Another feature of the invention provides the above described telephone control system wherein the system interfaces with callers and subscribers via courtesy messages which minimize or eliminate the need for users to recall complicated control commands.
Another feature of the invention provides the above described control system wherein subscribers are provided with portable pager-like communicators which include RF transmitters for transmission directly to the paging system.
Another feature of the present invention provides the above described control system wherein the communicator devices automatically respond to remote locator transmitters to transmit back to the control system the phone number of a telephone proximate the user.